]]>http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2018/02/speak-2018/feed/0March for Life 2018 – Milestonehttp://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2018/01/march-life-2018-milestone/
Sat, 20 Jan 2018 16:01:08 +0000http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/?p=17164President Trump is the first US President to speak at the annual March for Life

]]>Feast of the Epiphany [Theophany]http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2018/01/feast-epiphany-theophany/
Sat, 06 Jan 2018 13:00:47 +0000http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/?p=17150When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity wast made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ our God, Who hath appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee! Monastic Skete of the Precious and Life-Creating Cross – [&hellip

]]>When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity wast made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ our God, Who hath appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee!

My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised.

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed; He had the power; He descended; He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged. ~ Nativity Sermon of St. John Chrysostom

]]>King’s College Choir, Cambridge, Nine Lessons and Carolshttp://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2017/12/kings-college-choir-cambridge-lessons-carols/
Mon, 25 Dec 2017 04:00:39 +0000http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/?p=17037A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is the Christmas Eve service held in King’s College Chapel. The Festival was introduced in 1918 to bring a more imaginative approach to worship. It was first broadcast in 1928 and is now broadcast to millions of people around the world. The service includes carols and readings from the Bible. The opening carol is always ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, and there is [&hellip

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is the Christmas Eve service held in King’s College Chapel. The Festival was introduced in 1918 to bring a more imaginative approach to worship. It was first broadcast in 1928 and is now broadcast to millions of people around the world.

The service includes carols and readings from the Bible. The opening carol is always ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, and there is always a new, specially commissioned carol. It is distinct from Carols from King’s, which is a carol service pre-recorded for BBC television, also broadcast on Christmas Eve. ~ King’s College, Cambridge

]]>Jesus as the “Word”http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2017/12/jesus-word/
Wed, 20 Dec 2017 14:00:29 +0000http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/?p=17094by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon “…the adjective “incarnate” identifies the means through which the Word redeemed us — the deeds done in His full human existence. The dogma of the Incarnation affirms that we were redeemed through the personal experiences of God’s Son in human history — the very things that the Word underwent — from the instant of His conception, through His birth and infancy, through the events and [&hellip

“…the adjective “incarnate” identifies the means through which the Word redeemed us — the deeds done in His full human existence. The dogma of the Incarnation affirms that we were redeemed through the personal experiences of God’s Son in human history — the very things that the Word underwent — from the instant of His conception, through His birth and infancy, through the events and phases of His life, through His tears and laughter, through His teaching and ministry of mercy, through His obedient sufferings and death on the cross, through His Resurrection and entry into eternal glory. Human redemption “happened” in the humanity of the eternal Word — the Christological moments — as He passed through, transformed, and deified our existence.” Orthodoxy Today – August 2009

]]>Let No Wickedness Have Dominionhttp://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2017/12/wickedness-dominion/
http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2017/12/wickedness-dominion/#commentsWed, 13 Dec 2017 15:32:45 +0000http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/?p=17132In the prayer for the First Hour (ca. 8 AM in my life), we pray, “Order my steps in Thy Word, and shall no wickedness have dominion over me.” This petition addresses a fundamental condition of fallen man: the capacity we have to become enslaved, that is lose our God-given freedom, and subject to the passions that will degrade and kill us. Anyone who has become addicted to porn has [&hellip

]]>In the prayer for the First Hour (ca. 8 AM in my life), we pray, “Order my steps in Thy Word, and shall no wickedness have dominion over me.” This petition addresses a fundamental condition of fallen man: the capacity we have to become enslaved, that is lose our God-given freedom, and subject to the passions that will degrade and kill us. Anyone who has become addicted to porn has allowed wickedness to have dominion over him. Anyone addicted to constantly judging others and comparing himself to them has allowed sin to have its way in this regard.

I say this possibility of slavery to sin is fundamental; it is spoken of early in Genesis, before the first recorded murder, when the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? … sin is couching at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (4:7) The path away from slavery to mastery is traveled by grace and by faith, but this does not mean that it is a matter of being a more “spiritual” person, whatever that means in today’s vague religious jargon that allows anyone to justify himself and excuse his personal lifestyle choices. No, the path lies along the line of obedience to the Lord’s commandments. The First Hour prayer, having acknowledged “Thy Word,” continues, “Deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men, and so shall I keep They commandments. Show the light of Thy countenance upon Thy servant and teach me your statutes.” And later, “O Christ, the true Light…. guide our footsteps aright in keeping Thy commandments.”

In a culture in which “no one call tell me what to do” is the touchstone, the Lordship of Jesus is often boiled down to a cheap sentiment easily acknowledged and paid off with a few minutes of praise singing every week. But His Lordship is that which rises from His being granted “all authority in heaven and on earth,” from which authority he charges those who wish to say they belong to Him that they make disciples, “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” The commandments include the Sermon on the Mount.

The only way Christians can possibly live in faith and obedience to such a high calling is to acknowledge and know in their hearts and feel in their bones that the Lord “hast no delight in sacrifice” (which could be my songs or regular prayers) but that “the sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken and contrite heart.” (Psalm 51:16-17) Surely, this contrition should be a daily assessment, at least for me, for a day does not go by in which I do not think a bad thought of someone else or fail to live selflessly, thinking better of others than of myself, and not thanking God always in all things, or loving with patience, kindness, and humility. I pray the regular prayers not to earn the Lord’s favor but as reminders of my state before him and my need for grace. The touchstones of fidelity are the Lord’s commandments and the example of his saints in their faith, hope and love. In this service lies perfect freedom and the chains of slavery are removed far from us.